Last updated: 15 July 2023
Published June 2015. This post is a part of a series of interviews I conducted with Australian based Willing Workers on Organic Farms, fondly referred to as “a WWOOFer”.
Meet Johanna from Germany. Johanna works as a WWOOFer on an organic winery in the small village of Broke in the Hunter Valley of NSW. The population of Broke is less than a thousand inhabitants, a few million less than her home city of Munich. I asked Johanna a few questions about her life in the WWOOF program.
Key Information
- Age: 26
- Current visa: Working holiday visa (subclass 417)
- Arrived in Australia: March 2014
- Highest education: Tertiary – hotel school
Describe a typical working day
Well, it really depends on the weather. Typically it’s an 8am start. We kick off with shoot thinning. It’s a technique used to help improve light penetration and air movement through a canopy. It’s really important but it’s hard work and it takes about 2 hours.
After that we get a bit of a break. Come inside and have a rest from the sun for about 30 minutes.
In the afternoons the WWOOFers break off into different roles. I label the wine bottles. The winery has their own labelling machine but it still requires someone to place the labels on the bottles and keep everything correct. I quite enjoy it. I put on some music and get into a rhythm.
I finish at about 1630. Then it’s downtime. If it’s warm or sunny enough I often lounge beside the pool with a book until it’s time to help out for dinner. We all pitch in to help cook, it’s very communal and that’s the way I like it.
The WWOOFers share a cottage on the property so after dinner we all head back there to go to bed. Most nights I’m not awake for long!
What is your favourite part of the WWOOF program?
It’s going to sound a bit funny, but I really like moving sheep form one paddock to another. They never do what you want them to do and it always ends up in laughter.
What is your least favourite part of the WWOOF program?
I’m 26. So I have lived a good portion of my life as an independent adult. So for me, the hardest part is not being in charge of your own time and running your own schedule. You have to work the hours the farm wants/needs you to work. You can’t be picky or just not get up because you don’t feel like working.
Oh, another thing I dislike is fixing the irrigation lines. They run along the trunk, the lower part of the canopy, so there’s quite a bit of bending involved. I always end up with a sore back.
Why did you choose to be in the WWOOF program?
If I’m being honest, it was a compromise. I really wanted to work on a ranch or somewhere with horses. But I came here with my boyfriend and he’s allergic so it just wasn’t an option.
Tell me a story:
Well, one afternoon I was moving young sheep to another paddock and they got a bit out of control. Sheep are a bit stupid and don’t follow instructions. They started to separate away from one another, so I spent the afternoon chasing sheep in 30 degree sun. From memory, I think I slipped in some mud too. It wasn’t a good day!
What’s your plan after you finish your 88 days?
My boyfriend and I plan to hire a camper van. We’re going to drive it up to Cairns.
Do you have any advice for someone considering the WWOOF program?
You need to be flexible, be positive and accept the rules. You can come away with lots of life experience if you embrace it.
Have you been a WWOOFer? What advice would you give to someone?
